Verbs are fundamental elements in any language, and German is no different. In Chapter 20.33 of our Basic German course, we will focus on a specific category of verbs: the verbs of criticism. These verbs are essential for expressing opinions, making judgments and evaluations, and discussing other people's behavior and actions.
One of the most common verbs of criticism in German is "kritiseren", which means "to criticize". This verb is regular and follows the standard conjugation rules for verbs ending in "-ieren". For example, "Ich kritisiere" means "I criticize", "Du kritisierst" means "You criticize", and so on.
Another important verb of criticism is "meckern", which is an informal way of saying "complain" or "grumble". This verb is irregular, which means that its conjugated forms can vary. For example, "Ich meckere" means "I complain", but "Du meckerst" means "You complain".
Also, we have the verb "beurteilen", which means "to judge" or "to evaluate". This is a regular verb, so its conjugated forms follow standard rules. For example, "Ich beurteile" means "I judge" and "Du beurteilst" means "You judge".
There are also criticism verbs that are used to express disapproval or dissatisfaction with something. For example, "missbilligen" means "disapprove" and "ablehnen" means "reject". Both verbs are regular, so their conjugated forms follow standard rules.
In addition to learning the conjugation of these verbs, it's important to understand how to use them correctly in sentences. For example, the verb "kritiseren" is usually followed by a direct object and the verb "meckern" is often used with the preposition "über" to indicate what is causing the complaint. For example, "Ich kritisiere seine Arbeit" means "I criticize his work" and "Er meckert über das Wetter" means "He complains about the clatic".
On the other hand, the verbs "beurteilen", "missbilligen" and "ablehnen" are often used with the preposition "an" to indicate what is being judged, disapproved or rejected. For example, "Ich beurteile seine Entscheidung" means "I judge his decision", "Wir missbilligen seine Handlungen" means "We disapprove of his actions", and "Sie lehnt seinen Vorschlag ab" means "She rejects his proposal".
In summary, the verbs of criticism are an essential part of the German vocabulary that allows you to express opinions and make judgments. Learning to conjugate and use them correctly in sentences is an important step towards becoming fluent in German. We hope that this chapter has helped you to better understand these verbs and to use them with confidence in your German conversations.
Keep going with the course and keep improving your German language skills. Remember, practice is the key to fluency, so don't forget to practice what you've learned regularly. Viel Glück (Good luck)!
